3 Seconds of concern in a 'busy life'

'Life is busy' is a contradiction in terms. Life moves at the same pace every year. We grow an year older exactly in one year, not sooner, not later. We are busy, willingly or unwillingly is a different question altogether. And we conveniently take the liberty of replacing "We" with "Life"!

And while our focus shifts to the bigger things in life, the smallest and least time-consuming things take a back seat.


WHEN WE WERE STUDYING
So while in high school, an elder brother running fever (100 degrees) is what we are most concerned about on that day, things change completely for the same person years later. Back then, we might have cancelled the plan to watch the latest Aamir Khan flick at a nearby theatre to just be by the side of the sibling for several reasons:

• Because we are genuinely concerned.
• What if he needs something when we are away?
• How can we enjoy a movie and popcorn when our brother is at home eating tablets and khichdi!

And then, we kept checking the fever every few hours, not because he wanted us to, but because we wanted to see him recover fast so that he can have fun.

AFTER WE STARTED WORKING OR WHATEVER

And now, with us getting busy with our life, the picture is very different for many of us (or that's what is the case with many people I know!). Priorities have clearly changed. Fever is not even being sick anymore, unless we ourselves have it. Unless it is a life-threatening disease that can take its course very soon or a major accident, who bothers to even call and ask, "How are you feeling today?"

"How are you feeling today?" takes not more than 3 seconds.
The answer to it might vary from a simple "Fine" (1 second) to a description of how bad the day was due to sickness or how everything is hurting (not more than 5 minutes in any case)!


So we are talking of not more than 6 minutes. 6 minutes on a day when someone is really feeling low due to health issues. Your simple question won't take too much of your time but it would mean a lot to the person who is suffering. Especially when the person is suffering from a very painful disease / condition and instead of showing the least concern, you ignore the person and call up your boss on a Saturday to ask how he is feeling coz he was feeling feverish on Friday! Or you keep asking your visiting friend again and again if she needs something, if she is feeling any better, if she wants to rest... coz she was sneezing in the lift!

Priorities change, fine... it's a part of life. But what happened to the heart you had? Even if you ask a unwell sibling or in some cases your spouse about how the person is feeling, it is often because you know you 'must' instead of you 'want to know'! No one is asking for sympathy in this 'busy life' or even empathy. A little genuine concern means a lot. Trust me, you might be hurting someone more than that person's pain is!

So just take a few minutes to think if you have been ignoring and taking for granted the ones you were always concerned of. The girlfriend who is your wife now, the friend who is married and settled abroad, the sibling who always ran for you when you hurt yourself by the corner of a centre table, the parents for whom you are and always will be the world! Just ask or text them, "How are you feeling today?" It won't take more than 3 seconds but will make them and you much happier!

Let's make the world a better place.

Photo credit: DavidR_ via photopin cc